A NEW &#xA3;850,000 North Wales cycle path is being billed one of the most important in the UK.

The 12-mile-long Lon Las Cefni will wind its way from Newborough Forest on Angle-sey's west coast to the centre of the market town of Llangefni.

The route will take cyclists through spectacular country-side teeming with wildlife.

The venture, which is being compared to Cornwall's Camel Trail, is being co-ordinated by Menter M&#xF4;n, the island's enterprise and rural development organisation and the Environ-ment Agency.

The path's stone shale surface means it will also be suitable for walkers and wheelchairs.

Sections have already been completed at Newborough Forest, developed independently by Forest Enterprise. It joins a section at Malltraeth Cob, before following the flood-banks of the river Cefni across Malltraeth Marsh, and on to Llangefni.

There it will eventually link up to the Dingle town centre nature reserve.

On the way it will connect to National Cycle Route number 8 at Pont Marquis, about two miles upstream from Malltraeth.

The cycle path is the result of five years of careful planning, said Menter M&#xF4;n project manager Hugh Knott.

He said: "It is a big project which includes realigning the marsh drainage channels on one side of the river Cefni and widening and strengthening the river floodbanks.

"It is taking two years so as not to disturb rare flora and fauna in Malltraeth Marsh, which is a site of special scientific interest, a key area in the UK for water voles and home to many rare plants and birds such as bitterns, wild fowl, waders, reed buntings and reed warblers." He added: "The project has been compared to the Camel Trail, near Padstow, in Cornwall, which has proved itself to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in the south west of England.

"An added benefit is that local firms are benefiting from the cycleway construction work."

Menter M&#xF4;n Chairman Hywel Meredydd, a keen cyclist, said: ''I can hardly wait to ride all the way from Newborough to Llangefni on a purpose-built cycle path through beautiful countryside.

"Thankfully, it's a very flat route and cyclists should still have the energy to enjoy the scenery on the way.

"I am delighted the county highways department is developing a project to extend the cycleway through the Dingle and around Cefni Reservoir.

"At Menter M&#xF4;n we want the people of Anglesey to get on their bikes to explore the island and not to ride away."

Half of the cost of the project has been met by European Objective cash.